Apparatus for providing openings in a tubular work piece



L. A. LAYNE Nov. 10, 1964 APPARATUS FOR PROVIDINGQPENINGS IN A TUBULARWORK PIECE Filed March 31, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z eqV/e A. lay/7e00%ENTOR. 7 BY ATTORNEY Nov. 10, 1964 LJA. LAYNE APPARATUS FOR PROVIDINGOPENINGS IN A TUBULAR WORK PIECE Filed March 51, 1960 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2lea he A. lay/7e INVENTOR.

7 M1 (2 PW United States Patent Ofiice 3,1562% Patented Nov. 10, 19643,156,235 APPARATUS FOR PROVEDING OPENINGS IN A TUBULAR WGRK PIEQELesiie A. Layne, Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Layne8: Bowler Inc, Memphis, Tenn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 31,1960, Ser. No. 18,993 13 Claims. (Cl. 153-2) This invention relates tometal working apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for formingan axially extending series of openings in the wall of a tubular workpiece. While not limited thereto, the invention has particularapplication to the production of well screen from heavy pipe.

Perforated tubular products have been made in various ways, many ofwhich have received considerable acceptance in the trade. In manycommercial applications, however, and especially in the case of heavyduty well screen and the like, it is desirable to make the product byforming perforations in the wall of a relatively thick, initiallyimperforate pipe. Thus, it has been proposed that the perforations be inthe form of slots provided by sawing through the wall of the pipe.Considering that the perforated portion of the product is often ofconsiderable axial length, so that a relatively large number ofperforations are involved, it is obvious that provision of theperforations by the usual cutting methods is unduly laborious andexpensive.

It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to devise animproved apparatus for forming an axially extending series of lateralopenings in a tubular work piece, and particularly in a piece of heavymetal pipe, in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner.

Another object is to provide a particularly effective apparatus forproducing well screen from heavy pipe.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus which is at leastlargely automatic in its operation, requiring only that the pipe orother work piece be properly placed in the apparatus and adjusted afterthe formation of each series of openings.

Yet another object is to provide, as a novel and improved product ofmanufacture, a louvered well screen.

In order that the manner in which these and other objects are attained,in accordance with the invention, can be understood in detail, referenceis had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and wherein;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus, con structed inaccordance with one particularly advantageous embodiment of theinvention, for making louvered well screen from pipe;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a rotary punch anddie unit employed in the apparatus of FIG. 1, and a portion of pipebeing operated on by such assembly, the view being enlarged in scale andtaken along a plane extending axially of the pipe;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged pelspective view of means employed in theapparatus of FIG. 1 to engage an end portion of the pipe for pushing andpulling the same;

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in transverse verticalsection, of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken on line 5-5, FIG.4, and showing certain parts of the apparatus in operative positionsoccupied thereby during punching of a pipe;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 but showing certain parts, particularlyincluding the punch roller, in retracted, inactive positions, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective View, enlarged in scale, of aportion of louvered well screen made in accordance with the invention.

Turning now to the drawings in detail, and first to FIG. 1, it will beseen that the embodiment of the apparatus illustrated comprises anelongated, horizontally extending base frame 1, a combination punchsupport and actuator 2, a pipe guiding and supporting assembly 3, and alinear power actuator 4 for moving a pipe, such as pipe 5, axiallythrough assembly 3.

As will be seen in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the support and actuator 2comprises a cylinder 6 rigidly secured to base frame 1, as by mountingstructure 7, in such manner as to extend horizontally toward assembly 3.At its free end, cylinder 6 has rigidly secured thereto a pair ofparallel arms 8 spaced apart in a horizontal plane. A shaft 9 is carriedby and extends between the free end portions of arms 8, the axis ofshaft 9 being horizontal, at right angles to and intersecting the axisof cylinder 6. Mounted on shaft 9 in any suitable manner for pivotalmovement about the axis of the shaft are an upper pair of horizontallyspaced links or arms 10 and a lower pair of horizontally spaced links11. Links or arms 10 carry the rotary punch roller 12, shaft 13 of theroller 12 being journalled in the free end portions of links 163 andprojecting siightly therebeyond. Similarly carried by links 11 is anidler roller 14, the roller 14 being free to turn on a shaft 15 andthere being a space between each end of the roller and the adjacent link11.

A portion of cylinder 6 defines the working chamber of a reciprocatoryfluid pressure actuated motor having a piston (not shown) secured to apiston rod 16 extending coaxially within cylinder 6 and projectingbeyond the free end thereof so as to have its free end disposed betweenarms 8. Secured to the free end of piston rod 16 is a block 17 ofrectangular transverse cross-section. A shaft 18, parallel to and lyingin a common plane with shaft 9, extends through block 17, the ends ofshaft 18 each projecting into a different one of two horizontallyextending guide and limit slots 19 provided in arms 8.

A horizontally spaced pair of toggle links 20 are journalled each on adifferent end portion of the shaft 13 of punch roller 12, the free endsof toggle links 20 being provided with semi-circular notches in whichshaft 18 is engaged. A second horizontally spaced pair of toggle links21 are journalled on shaft 15 of idler roller 14, the free end portionsof toggle links 21 also being provided with semi-circular notches inwhich shaft 18 is engaged. As seen in FIG. 4, corresponding ones oftoggle links 29 and 21 lie in common planes and the free end portionsthereof are laterally confined between one of the arms 8 and one of thewashers 22, the latter abutting the side faces of block 17.

Linear movement of piston rod 16 to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 5 and6, causes punch roller 12 and idler roller 14- to move toward the axisof cylinder 6, and thus to the retracted or inactive positions seen inFIG. 6. Linear movement of piston rod 16 in the opposite directioncauses punch roller 12 and idler roller 14 to move away from the axis ofcylinder 6 to the active positions shown in FIG. 5. Such movement islimited by the length of slots 19 and the slots 19 thus determine theactive and inactive positions for the punch roller and idler roller.Also, the free ends of toggle links 2%) and 21 are provided with faces23 which abut when rollers 12 and 14 are in their inactive positions andfaces 24 which abut when rollers 12 and 14 are in their activepositions, as

FIGS. 5 and 6, to freely accommodate the pipe 5. Mounted on plate 2 5above pipe 5 and for sliding movement radially with respect to the pipeis a flat carrier member 28. Such mounting is accorn lished by spacedretaining and guide members 29 secured to and having flanges 39 which,in cooperation with the face of plate 25, define straight guide slots inwhich the straight, parallel edges 31 of carrier member 28 are slidablydisposed.

Mounted on carrier member 23 for rotation about an axis extendingtransversely of and at right angles to the axis of cylinder 6 is acombination die and guide roller 32. The shaft 33 of roller 32. isjournalled in the ends of parallel arms 34 which are fixet to carriermember ZS and project therefrom parallel to the axis of cylinder 6. Themain body of roller is provided with teeth having tips or crests whichcurve, axially of the roller, to correspond with the transversecurvature of the wall of the pipe 5, as seen in FIG. 4. At each end ofthe teeth 36 may be a wheel (or a wheel-like portion 35 of roller 32)disposed for rolling engagement with the outer surface of pipe 5.

The edge 37 of carrier member 23 adjacent pipe 5 is similarly curved andis so located, with respect to the position of roller 32 that, whenwheels 35 are in rolling contact with the outer surface of the pipe,edge 37 is spaced from the pipe. As appears in F165. 4 and 6, thediameters of wheels 35 are such that, when the wheels engage the pipe,the tips or crests of teeth 35 will engage the pipe.

At its upper edge, plate 25 carries a nut A screw 39 extends downwardlythrough nut 38 and is connected at its end to the upper edge portion ofcarrier member 28 in a manner allowing free rotation of the screwrelative to the carrier member. Extending parallel to guide members 29,screw 39 is fixed to and supports a hand wheel 40, and rotation of thehand wheel accordingly turns the screw in nut 33 to adjust the positionof carrier member 23.

Mounted on plate 25 in the same general manner as carrier member 23 areslide blocks :1, 42 and 43, block 41 being disposed below opening 2?, soas to be diametrically opposed across the pipe 5 with respect to member28, and blocks 4.2 and 43 being located each on a difiierent side of thepipe, as shown. Idler rollers 44, $5 and are rotatably mounted on slideblocks 4-1, :2 and 43, respectively, each for rotation about an axisspaced from and at right angles to the axis of cylinder 6. Slide blocks41, 42 and 43 are equipped with adjusting screws 47, 43 and 49,respectively, each extending radially relative to the axis of cylinder6.

Properly adjusted, as to radial position, by hand wheel 49 and screws47, 4-8 and 4-9, wheels 35 and idler rollers 44, 45 and 46 are effectiveto support the pipe 5, or a like work piece, in a position such that thelongitudinal axis of the work coincides with the axis of cylinder 6. Sosupported, pipe 5 can be moved axially through assembly 3 by operationof actuator 4.

The actuator 4 comprises a hydraulic or oth r fluid pressure actuatedreciprocatory power device including a cylinder 50, a piston 51operatively disposed therein, an elongated piston rod 52 projecting fromcylinder 5% toward assembly 3 and parallel to frame 1. The power deviceis rigidly mounted on frame 1 in any suitable fashion, as by mountingblock 53 and inverted U-clamps 54. Fixed to and depending from pistonrod 52 is a rigid supporting member 55 rotatably carrying, at its lowerend, at least one wheel 56 arranged to travel along the upper horizontaledge of a beam 57 of frame ll. The arrangement of the power device issuch that the longitudinal axes of piston rods 52 and 16 coincide.

Secured to the free end of piston rod 52 in any suitable fashion is apusher head indicated generally at 53 and shown in detail in FIG. 3.Head 58 includes a hollow cylindrical body 59, the wall thickness ofbody 53 being decreased at the tip thereof to provide a transverseannular shoulder at disposed for engagement with the end of pipe 5nearest cylinder 50. Tip portion 61, of reduced outer diameter, isdimensioned for insertion within pipe 5. At diametrically opposedpoints, body 53 is provided with notches 62 of such size and shape as toaccommodate the ends of arms 8. In this connection, it will be notedfrom FIGS. 5 and 6 that the ends of arms 3 are disposed in the sametransverse plane as the face of plate 25 directly toward cylinder andthat opening 27 is sufficiently large to accommodate head 53.

Tip portion 61 of head 53 is also provided with an axially opening notch63 accommodating the serrated cam locking head 6-4 of a locking lever 65mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a shaft 66 carried by storts 67, the pivotal axis of lever 65 extending chordwise of thecircular cross-section of body 59. lawardly of its pivotal mounting,lever 65 includes a finger portion disposed for engagement with astationary part or" the apparatus, such as shaft Q, as the piston rodapproaches the end of its travel in a direction away from cylinder 53.

At the start of a cycle of operation of the apparatus, the work such aspipe 5 is inserted axially into opening 27 until an end portion thereofis engaged and supported by wheels 35 and idler rollers 44, 45 and as.Piston rod 53 is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, until tipportion 61 is disposed in the adjacent end of pipe 5 and that end of thepipe is in engagement with shoulder At this stage, lever "65 is sodisposed that head 64 thereof is not in locking engagement with theinner wall surface of the pipe. At the end of the work stroke of theapparatus (movement of piston rod 52 to the left, as viewed in FIG 1),finger portion of the lever encounters shaft 9, or an equivalent fixedpar of the apparatus, and slight further movement of the piston rod 52,in completing the work stroke then causes lever 65 to be pivoted in adirection causing serrated head 64 to come into locking engagement withthe pipe. Because of such locking engagement, movement of piston rod 52to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, causes pipe 5 to be drawn back,through assembly 3, to its initial position. Lover 65 is then actuatedmanually to release the pipe from the head, this being accomplished, forexample, by inserting a tool axially into head 58 from the end thereofto which piston rod 52 is attached.

The teeth 69" of punch roller 12 and the teeth 36 of die roller 32 areidentical in size and shape. Referring to FIG. 2 in which it is seenthat the tip or crest of tooth 69 of punch roller 12 is disposed on aradius of the roller, the tooth can be considered as having a long side69*, converging toward said radius at a larger angle, and a shorter side6%, converging toward said radius from the opposite side at a smallerangle. The arrangement is such that when an end of pipe 5 is in place inassembly 3 and piston rod 15 is actuated to the right, as viewed inFIGS. 1, 5 and 6, to its extreme position, so that links it) and 21 arealigned, as seen in FIG. 5, the punch teeth 69 protrude through the wallof the pipe, with the tips of the teeth being spaced outwardly from theouter wall surface of the pipe by a distance A, FIG. 2, which distanceis chosen, in design of the teeth, to provide the desired louveropening.

As seen in PPS. 5, means including pawls 7t) and 71 is provided tomaintain a definite positional relationship between the teeth of dieroller 32 and the teeth 69 of punch roller 12. Pawl 70 is pivotallycarried by a pair of arms 72 secured to and projecting from plate 2 5above the die roller. Thus, pawl '79 depends into operative engagementwith the die roller teeth, having a pointed tip disposed betweenadjacent ones of teeth 36. A spring biased plunger '73 engages pawl Tilto urge the same to a definite reference position. Pawl '71 is slidablycarried by one of the arms lit and has a pointed tip disposed forengagement between adjacent ones of the teeth 69 of punch roller 12. Ineifect, the two pawls maintain the punch and die rollers in suchrotational position that their teeth will mesh when the punch roller ismoved from the inactive position of FIG. 6 to the active position ofFIG. 5.

Accordingly, when the end of pipe 5 has been inserted so that a wallportion thereof is disposed between the punch and die rollers, actuationof the punch roller from the position of FIG. 6 to the position of FIG.5 causes teeth of the punch roller to punch through the wall portion ofthe pipe in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. One such tooth will act atthis time to form completely one of the desired louvers 74. In thisaction, the one tooth of the punch roller is positionally opposed by atooth of the die roller, the long sides of the two opposed teeth beingparallel and spaced apart by a distance equal to the wall thickness ofpipe 5, the portion of the pipe wall constituting such one louver 74thus being clamped between the long sides of the teeth when the louveris completed.

Axial movement of pipe 5 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, causessimultaneous rotation of punch roller 12 and die roller 32 in oppositedirections, so that each tooth 69 of the punch roller punches out alouver 74, the louvers being formed in a series extending axially of thepipe.

Mounted on the side of beam member 57 adjacent support 26 is a limitswitch 75 having a pivoted actuating member 76 disposed for engagementby wheel 56. Switchv 7 is connected in suitable electrical circuit means(not shown) arranged to control actuator 4 in such fashion that, whenactuating member 76 is depressed by wheel 56 during movement of head 58and pipe 5 to the left, actuator 4, and therefore pipe 5, are stopped.The position of switch 75 is so chosen that pipe 5 will be stopped whenthe series of louvers formed by the punch and die rollers is of thedesired length. Actuator 4 is thereupon reversed, advantageously throughelectrical control means dominated by switch 75. Since lever 65 has beenactuated, by contact with shaft 9, to lock pipe 5 to head 53, the pipeis drawn back through assembly 3 during the return movement of pistonrod 52 and is accordingly returned to its initial position.Advantageously, actuation of switch 75 is also employed, throughsuitable electrical control means, to operate actuator 2 in such fashionthat piston rod 15 is moved to the left, as viewed in PEG-S. 5 and 6, sothat punch roller 12 and idler roller 114 are withdrawn from contactwith the wall of the pipe 5 before the return movement of the pipecommences. The return movement of pipe 5 is advantageously terminatedthrough the action of a second limit switch, not shown, suitably locatedfor contact by wheel :76. Upon completion of the return movement of pipe5, the pipe is manually released from head 53, rotated to bring punchroller 12 and die roller 32 into alignment With an unworked portion ofthe wall of the pipe. Actuator 2 is then energized to move piston rod 16to the right, so causing punch roller 2 to be moved to the position seenin FIG. 6. A complete cycle of operation of actuator 4 is then effected,providing another axially extending series of louvers 74. Suchoperations are continued until, if desired, the entire Wall of pipe 5has been louvered.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, it will be seen that each louver 7 has anopen mouth disposed entirely outside of the inner diameter of pipe 5 anddefined by side edges 74 and a top edge 74*. The outer wall 74 of thelouver conforms in shape to the long side 69 of one of the punch rollerteeth 69. End walls 74 of the louver conform to the ends of the tooth 69forming the louver. From FIGS. 2 and 7, it will be evident that, whilethe sharp crest or point w of each tooth 69 causes a shearing of thewall of the pipe, so that free edges 74 and 74 are formed, the body ofthe louver is formed by what is, in essence, a metal drawing operation.

Though the first louvers 74 of any radial series are punched as a resultof actuation of punch roller 12 from the inactive position of FIG, 6 tothe active position of FIG. 5, the remaining louvers of the series arepunched as the pipe is forced axially through assembly 3, such movementof the pipe causing rotation of rollers 12 and 52 and each tooth 69forming one louver during each rotation of the punch roller.

1n the embodiment of the invention illustrated, teeth 69 of punch roller12 and teeth 36 of die roller 32 have been shown and described as havinga triangular transverse cross-section, with the side surfaces of theteeth being fiat. It is to be understood, however, that the teeth 69 and36 can have other cross-sectional shapes. Thus, the long sides of teeth69 can be slightly convex and the long sides of teeth 36 correspondinglyconcave, to provide wall portion 74 of the louvers with a shape curvingslightly in a direction axially of the pipe. Similarly, the crests 69instead of being sharply pointed, can present a plane surface of limitedextent extending generally circumferentially of the punch roller.

During actuation of the punch roller from its inactive position (FIG. 6)to its active position, idler roller 14 comes into contact with the wallof the pipe at a point diametrically opposed to the wall area engaged bythe punch roller. Thus, radial forces involved in the punching operationand directed inwardly are opposed via the idler roller, and excessiveradial strains on piston rod 16, block 17 and arms 8 are avoided.

The maximum length of an axially extending series of louvers which canbe made by the apparatus is of course determined by the maximum strokeof actuator 4. For convenience in handling pipes or like work pieces ofvarious lengths, provision is made for changing the longitudinalposition of assembly 3 on frame 1. Thus, supports 26 are bolted to beammember 57, as at 77, and the frame member is provided with a series ofbolt holes 78 sufficient to allow the assembly 3 to be secured in any ofvarious longitudinal positions.

Actuators 2 and 4 both can be powered from a single source of fluidunder pressure. Thus, the apparatus can include a sump '79, FIG. 1, forcontaining a supply of hydraulic fluid, a pump 80 driven by anelectrical motor 81, and suitable piping 82 connected to the cylinders 6and 50 to provide complete hydraulic circuits, suitableelectromagnetically actuated control valves (not shown) being employedto control the distribution of fluid under pressure from the pump.

While it is possible to make screens with the louvers on either insideor outside of the pipe, the preferred screen in accordance with thisinvention has the louvers on the outside so that the louvers do notinterfere with tools which are being worked inside the screen. In fact apreferred screen is made with even the innermost edge of each louverabout 1 inch enlarged from the normal internal diameter maintained bythe wheels 35 during the punching, the punch roller 12 and the dieroller teeth 36 with adjacent wheels 35 being dimensioned to form thelouvers with the desired shape and opening as well as internalclearance.

It is understood that various changes and modifications in the apparatushere illustrated and described can be made without departing from thescope of the invention. For example, alternative to idler rollers 14 and44 there may be used a second punch roller and second die roller. Also,in lieu of or in addition to idler rollers 45 and 46 on the outside ofthe pipe, internal idler rollers similar to roller 14 may be used, or inlarge sizes of pipe additional punch and die rollers may be used topermit punching of several rows of louvers in one pass down the lengthof the pipe. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construedas illustrative only and is not to be construed as a limitation upon theinvention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for providing a tubular work piece with an axiallyextending series of lateral openings, the combination of means forsupporting a tubular work piece for axial movement and for restrainingthe same against movement transverse to its axis, a toothed punch rollerof such size as to enter the work piece without engaging the insidewalls; means for supporting said punch roller out of engagement with theinside walls within the work piece for rotation about an axis transverseto the axis of the work piece and for bodily movement in a direction tobring the teeth of said roller into engagement with the wall of the workpiece, first actuating means connected to said roller for effecting suchbodily movement to cause at least one tooth of said roller to penetratethe wall of the work piece, and second actuating means for moving thework piece axially while said roller is restrained by said firstactuating means against further bodily movement.

In an appanatus for providing a tubular work piece with an axiallyextending series of lateral openings, the combination of means forsupporting a tubular work piece for axial movement and for restrainingthe same against movement transverse to its axis, a toothed punch rollerof such size as to enter the work piece without engaging the insidewalls, means for positioning said punch roller out of engagement withthe inside walls within the work piece, first actuating means connectedto said punch roller to shift the same bodily in a direction transverseto the axis of the work piece to cause at least one tooth of said punchroller to penetrate the wall of the work piece, the second actuatingmeans for thereafter moving the work piece axially to cause rotation ofsaid punch roller and thereby cause the teeth of said roller topenetrate the wall of the work piece successively.

3. In an apparatus for making a well screen from a length of pipe, thecombination of means for supporting the pipe, a toothed punch roller ofsuch size as to fit in the pipe without engaging the inside walls,support means extending into the pipe, means mounting said punch rolleron said support means out of engagement with the pipe inside walls formovement generally transversely of the axis of the pipe and for rotationabout an axis transverse to the axis of the pipe, power means connectedto said punch roller for moving the same bodily outwardly into punchingengagement with the wall of the pipe, and means for effecting relativemovement between said support means and the pipe, axially of the pipe,to rotate said roller and cause its teeth to successively punch thepipe.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 and further comprising atoothed die roller, means supporting said die roller outside of the pipefor rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of saidpunch roller, said die roller being located to mesh with said punchroller when the latter is moved into punching engagement with the wallof the pipe.

5. In an apparatus for providing an axially extending series of louversin the wall of a tubular work piece, the combination of a punch rollerand a die roller unit mounted for rotation about spaced parallel axes,both of said rollers having teeth which are elongated in the directionof said axes, generally triangular in transverse crosssection and havinga longer and a shorter cross-sectional side, the teeth of said punchroller facing those of said die roller unit, and means for effectingrelative movement between said punch roller and said die roller unit ina direction to bring said teeth into mesh.

6. In an apparatus for providing an axially extending series of openingsin the wall of a tubular work piece, the combination of a punch rollermounted for rotation about a first axis and comprising radiallyprojecting axially elongated punching teeth; a die roller unitcomprising a die roller mounted for rotation about a second axis andincluding radially projecting axially elongated his.

teeth, said die roller unit also including a pair of wheels disposedeach at a different end of said die roller, said wheels having a greaterdiameter than the maximum diameter of said die roller, the space betweensaid wheels being greater than the axial length of said punch roller;means mounting said punch roller and said die roller unit with saidsecond axis parallel to said first axis and with said punch rollercentered with respect to said wheels, and actuating means for moving atleast one of said punch roller and die roller units in a direction todecrease the space between said axes whereby, when a tubular work pieceis disposed with a portion of its wall between said rollers, said wheelscan be brought into engagement with the work piece and teeth of saidpunch roller can be caused to penetrate such wall portion.

7. In an apparatus for providing an axially extending series of openingsin the wall of a tubular work piece, the combination of an elongatedframe; means mounted on said assembly for supporting a tubular workpiece for axial movement longitudinally of said frame; a first linearpower device including means engageable with one end of the work piecefor effecting said movement of the work piece; a toothed punch roller;punch roller supporting and actuating means mounted on said frame andprojecting into the other end of the work piece, said punch roller beingmounted on said supporting and actuating means for rotation about anaxis extending transversely of the work piece, said supporting andactuating means being operative to move said punch roller from aninactive pos .ion to an active position in which at least one tooth ofthe roller projects through the wall of the york piece; and a tootheddie roller carried by said frame, said die roller being mounted forrotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said punchroller with its teeth disposed to coact with the teeth of said punchroller when the latter is in said active position.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 and wherein said supporting andactuating means comprises a second inear power device including acylinder and a piston rod aligned coaxialy with the work piece, andtoggle means mounting said punch roller, said toggle means being carriedby said cylinder and operatively connected to said piston rod.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 and wherein said meansengageable with one end of the work piece is a pusher head including alatch for securing the work piece to the pusher head, said latch beingmovable from an initially inactive position to a latching position andbeing so mounted on the pusher head as to be moved to its latchingposition by contact with a fixed part of the apparatus during operationof said first power device to move the work piece toward said secondpower device.

10. In an apparatus for providing an axially extending series ofopenings in the wall of a tubular work piece, the combination of anelongated frame; means mounted on said assembly for supporting a tubularwork piece for axial movement longitudinally of said frame; a fluidpressure-operated power device comprising a clyinder and a piston rod,said cylinder being fixed to said frame and said piston rod disposed toproject into one end of the work piece; a pair of arms fixed to saidcylinder and disposed each on a different side of said piston rod, saidarms projecting beyond the end of said piston rod; a shaft carried bythe end portions of said arms; a toothed punch roller; an idler roller;toggle means supporting said rollers for rotation about parallel axesextending at right angles to said piston rod, said rollers beingdisposed each on a different side of the line of travel of said pistonrod, said toggle means being supported by said shaft and connected tosaid piston rod, movement of said piston rod toward said shaft actuatingsaid toggle means to move said rollers into operative engagement withtransversely spaced portions of the wall of the work piece, wherebyteeth of said punch roller can be caused to penetrate the wall of thework piece; and means for 9 moving the work piece axially past saidrollers while said rollers are held in such operative engagement withthe Work piece.

11. In an apparatus for providing a tubular Work piece with an axiallyextending series of lateral openings, the combination of means forsupporting a tubular work piece for axial movement and for restrainingthe same against movement transverse to its axis, a toothed punchroller, means for supporting the same within the work piece for rotationabout an axis transverse to the axis of the work piece and for bodilymovement in a direction to bring the teeth of said roller intoengagement with the Wall of the work piece, said support means includingan idler roller mounted for rotation about an axis transverse to theaxis of the Work piece, first actuating means connected to said rollerfor effecting such bodily movement to cause at least one tooth of saidroller to penetrate the Wall of the Work piece and to cause said idlerroller to be in load bearing contact with the Work piece onthe insidewall opposite said punch roller, and second actuating means forproviding relative movement between the work piece and said punch rolleraxially of the work piece.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein said support meansincludes an expandable frame means having said punch roller mounted atone end and said References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS1,764,129 6/30 Trumble et al. 83-191 1,839,284 1/32 White 1662271,884,143 10/32 Norquist 83-184 1,994,344 3/35 Harrington 166-2272,185,337 1/40 Green 153-2 2,217,327 10/40 Zeidler l53-2 2,583,682 1/52Celovsky 1532 2,600,254 6/52 Lysobey 83-178 CHARLES W. LANHAM, PrimaryExaminer.

WHITMORE A. WILTZ, BENJAMIN BENDE'IT,

Examiners.

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A TUBULAR WORK PIECE WITH AN AXIALLYEXTENDING SERIES OF LATERAL OPENINGS, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FORSUPPORTING A TUBULAR WORK PIECE FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT AND FOR RESTRAININGTHE SAME AGAINST MOVEMENT TRANSVERSE TO ITS AXIS, A TOOTHED PUNCH ROLLEROF SUCH SIZE AS TO ENTER THE WORK PIECE WITHOUT ENGAGING THE INSIDEWALLS; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID PUNCH ROLLER OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THEINSIDE WALLS WITHIN THE WORK PIECE FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS TRANSVERSETO THE AXIS OF THE WORK PIECE AND FOR BODILY MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION TOBRING THE TEETH OF SAID ROLLER INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WALL OF THE WORKPIECE, FIRST ACTUATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ROLLER FOR EFFECTING SUCHBODILY MOVEMENT TO CAUSE AT LEAST ONE TOOTH OF SAID